watson



(No Model.)

. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. A. WATSON. TYPE ,WRITING MACHINE.

No. 477,236. Patentedun 21, 1892.

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2 Shets Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J yA WATSON A TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

`1\0. 4'77,236. Patented June'l, 1892.

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I @mma/to@ I /l/W) I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

YJAMES A. NVATSON, OF lVASl-IINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA.

TYPE-wam Nc. MACH |N E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,236, dated J' une21, 1892. Application filed April 8,1892. Serial No. 428,384. (Nomodel.) I

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

v le it known that I, JAMES A. WATsoN,a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements 1n '.I'ype-lVriting Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

invention relates to ribbon-feeding devices for type-Writers anditconsists in meehanlsln for feeding the ribbon automaticallybotlrlengthwise and Widthwise, so as to use its entire surface as itpasses once through the machine.

i In the accompanying drawings, in which llkereference-signs refer tosimilar parts throughoutthe several views, Figurel isa plan view, theparts illustrating my invention being shown in full lines and a portionof vthe trame of a type-writer in dotted lines. Fig. 2 1s aseo-tion onthe line X X of Fig. 1, showing my improvements in elevation. Fig. 3 isan end elevation of the spool and spool-support shown on the left inFig. 1, and Figs. 4 and 5` are views of different forms of drivingmechanlsm.

The object of my invention is to produce ribbon-feeding devices which-will feed the ribbon lengthwise, and also lcause it to travel widthwiseover the printingpoint,so as to present practically its entire surfaceto the printing-point while it passes from one spool to the other and toaccomplish these movements with the simplest possible mechanism. Iattain these results by mounting the spools in supports or frames whichrotate bodily, While at the same time maintainingr the axes of thespools constantly parallel to each other, and by providing connectionsbetween the spoolsupports maintain them in a constant relation to eachother, so that while they revolve there will be no strain upon theribbon, which is wound partially upon each of the spools.

Having imparted `a similar rotary motion to both of the spools in aplane substantially parallel with the plane of the ribbon and in circleshaving a radius equal to about onehalf of the Width of the ribbon, itwill be evident that the intermediate ribbon, which stretches across'the printing-point, will also have a rotary motion, and that the typewill strike successively uponthe circlunference of a circle which' isembraced within the width of the ribbon. 'I also provide mea-ns v forshifting the ribbon lengthwise at thecompletion of each revolution ofthe spool-sup'- ports a suicient distance, so that the type will notstrike exactly iu -the same places during the succeeding revolution. Themove` ments above outlined would cause the printing-point to travelrelatively to the ribbon in a series of overlapping circles, whichcircles would cross each other near the margin of the ribbon, and thusthe ribbon would be used more near the margin than in the middle. lVhenit is desirable to overcome this objection, I introduce additionalmechanism to cause the spools and ribbon to rotate faster when themargins are passing the printingpoint than when the middle portion ispassing` and I so graduate and vary the rotary movement of theribbonthat its entire surface will be used practically to the same extent. Ialso provide means for reversingthe movement of the spools, so that theribbon will wind from either one onto the other.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings, `l indicates thespools, which are mounted in spool-supports 2, consisting of U- shapedpieces having openings in theirup-` per ends to form bearings for thespool-shafts 3. To keep the spool-supports in a constant relation toeach other with the spoolshafts parallel, I preferably connect bothsupports to a frame, col'isisting of a bar et, extending around the rearof the machine and bent at its ends into U-shaped portions 5, the armsof which port-ions embrace the spool-supports. The spool-supports 2 areperforated to receive the crank-pins (i of idle-cranks 7, which revolveabout shafts S, set in the frame. Upon a driving-shaft 9, arrangedvertically in a frame 10 at the rear of the machine, is a crank 11,having a crank-pin l2, which passes through a perforation in the middleportion of the bar 4 of the connecting-frame. The cranks 7 and 11 haveexactly the same throw, and as they are situated out of line when one ofthe cranks is turned the others follow, al-

ways remaining parallel to each other, and" thus imparting asimultaneous rotation to the frame, the spools, and the ribbou.`

If the d riving-shaft 9 were given uniform rotary movement, the ribbonwould be used more near the margin than at the middle portion.

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To obvi atc this diiiicul'ty, I use mechanism which will givethedriving-shatt a slow move- 1nent When the middle of the ribbon isatthe printing-point and which will gradually increase therapidity ofthe movement as the margin of the ribbon approaches the printing-perm,and then gradually decrease the rap1d1ty of the movement as the 'marginrecedes from the -printingpoinh In this Way all portions of the ribbonmay be used to the same extent. The simplest form otmecliaiiismfor thispurpose .consists of an elliptical ratchet-wheel 13, fixed upon theshaft 9 and operated by a broad pawl 14, attached to a vlbratlng arm 15.The arm ivextendsupward from a rock-shaft 16, which is rocked by theuniversal bar 17, underlying the keylevers, which is connected to therock-shaft by arms 18. The universal bar is commonly u sed 1ntype-writers for operating the carriage-fecd mechanism, and it need nottherefore be more fully described herein. The arm l may be extendedupward to operate the escapcmeut of thc,carriagefeed, if desired. Itwill be evident that when the pa'wl is operating upon the teeth of theratchet lnearest to the drivingshaft tho shaft will rotate fastest, andthat the'rapdity of. rotation will gradually decrease nntilthe pawlreaches the teeth which are farthest away from the shaft. The ribbon 19passes over guides 20, which, as shown, are formed of wires suitablybent andattached to the connecting-frame of the spool-supports. Springs21, heldin place by adjustable screws 22, retain the ribbonslrafts intheir. bearings and produce any desired tension in the ribbon.

In order to feed the ribbon lengthwise once during each rotation,Iattach to `the frame of vthe machine detente- 23 and to each ofthespools-shafts a ratchet-wheel 2 4. As shown,

the detents 23 consist of right-angled plates of spring metal rigidlyconnected at one end to the main fram'e and normally out of con tactwith the ratchet-Wheels, as shown on the left of Fig. 2. The detents maybe pressed down into the paths of the ratchet-wheels by means otthumb-screws 25, the one on the right of Fig. 2 being shown so presseddown. A sccticn of the ribbon' 19 is shown in`Fig. 1, and on it dottedlines 26 indicate some of the successive circles of ribbon which havebeen presented to the printing-point 27. As shown, the ribbon istraveling in the direction of the arrow. l

The operation of the. devices above described isas follows: 'Eachtimeakey-lever isoperated the universal bar is depressed, the rock-shaftvibratcd, and the ratchet-wheel and driving-shaft 9 moved slightly bymeans 'of the pawl 14. As the driving-crank 11 is r0- tatcd theidle-cranks 7 are carried around simultaneously, all three crankscontinuin g'parallel to each other, so that the spool-supports receive asimultaneous rotation. The pawl 23 on the right being held'down by aset-screw and theone on the left being up, as shown.

when the spool reaches the pawl, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, theratchet-wheel 24 (which in' this instance constitutes'oue end of thespool) will be engaged by the pawl, andas thespoolsupports rotate thespool on the right will be turned, winding up`a portion of the ribbon,in the direction of' the arrow. The spools and ribbon will then becarried through a complete circle before the ribbon is again fed forwardlong.itudinally,the speed of the rotation 'of the spool-supportsvarying, as hereinbefore described.

.In Figs. 4 and. 5 I have shown two other forms of mechanismby-which thevariable rotation of the spool-supports may be-att'ain'ed. f In Fig. 4an elliptical ratchet-wheel 2S is op# g erated by a pawl 2Q, and thedriving-shaft 9 is driven from the ratchet-wheel by means ot` a pair ofbeveled gears 30, the vertical beveled wheel and the ratchet-wheel beingfixed upon a horizontal shaft passing through the frame 10. 1n Fig. 5the pawl 2S) rotates a circular ratchet-wheel 31, and' upon the sameshaft with the ratchet-wheel is an elliptical gear 32, which mesheswitha second elliptical gear 38. From the second gear movementiscom'niunicated tothe driving-shaft bya pair of beveled gears 34:. Theelliptical ratchet-wheels shown and the elliptical gears aresubstantially equivalent, and I shall hereinafter designate both formsand their equivalents by the generic term elliptical gearing.

Vhile I have illustrated my invention in the best mechanical form whichI have been able up to the present time to devise, it will ybe evidentthat the principle of the invention may be carried out in various other.ways; therefore, p Vithout limiting myself to the precise constructionand arrangement of .mechanism shown and described, I claim- `1. In atype-writer, the combination, with the ribbon and'spools, ofspool-supports, conf nections between said supports for maintaining. thespools in a constantv relation to each ICO IIO

other, and means for imparting rotation to said supports in a planesubstantially parallel with the plane of the ribbon.

2. In a type-writer, the combination, with the ribbon and spools, ofspool-supports, connections between. said supports for maintaining theYspools in a constant relation to each other, and means for imparting avariable rotary movement to said supports in a plane substantiallyparallel with the plane of the ribbon, whereby the margin of the ribbonis made to travel overI the printing-point more rapidly than the middleportion.

3. In a type-writer, the combination, with the ribbon and spools, ofspool-supports, convnections between said supports for maintain-` ingthe spools in a constant relation to each other,'means for rotating saidsupports, and elliptical gearing, substantially as described, forvarying the speed of the supports during each rotation.`

i. In ,a typo-writeigthe combination, with the ribbon and ribbon-spools,of spool-supports, connections between said-supports for maintaining thespools in a constant relation to each other, cranks upon whichsaidsupports are carried, and means for rotating the cranks simultaneously,substantially as dcscribed. 4

5. In a type-writer, the combination of the spool-supports, the curvedframe connecting the supports, and the rotatable cranks for carryingsaid frame and supports,substantially as described.

6, In a type-writer, the' combination, with -t-he ribbon and spools, ofspool-supports, con- -nectionsbetween said spool-supports formaintaining the spools in a constant relation to .each other, means forimparting rotation to said supports in a plane substantially parallelwith the plane of the ribbon, and means for turning the ribbon-spools tofeed the ribbon lengthwise, substantially as described. 7. In atype-writer, the combination, with i the ribbon and spools, ofspool-supports, connections between said supports for maintaining -thespools in a constant relation, means for imparting rotation to saidsupports in a plane snbstantiallyvparallel .with the plane of theribbon, ratchet-wheels connected with the spools, and detents attachedto fixed supports and movable into and out of engagement with theratchet-wheels, substantially as described.

S. In -a type-Writer, the combination, with the ribbon andribbon-spools, and ratchetwheels connected with the spools, of a curved'frame connecting .the -spool-supports, three ports, and ellipticalgearing for imparting variable rotary movement to the cranks,substantially as described.

10. In a typewriter ribbon-feedmg mechanism, the combination, with arock-shaft and an arm and pawl carried thereby, of elliptical gearingoperated by the pawl for imparting a suitable` movement to the ribbon',substantially asy described.'

11. In a type-writer ribbon-feeding mechanism,the combination,with arockshaft and a broad pawl carried thereby, ofa revoluble shaft' and anelliptical ratchet-Wheel fixed upon the shaft, said pawl being arrangedto engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, whereby a variable movement isgiven to the shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aftlx my signature i n presence of two witnesses.

. J. A. I/VATSON. Witnesses:

W. CLARENCE DUVALL, VJ M. E. NEFF.

